"بعثة لإجراء عملية مسح لنهري دجلة والفرات، تم تنفيذها بأمر من الحكومة البريطانية، في السنوات ١٨٣٥، ١٨٣٦، ١٨٣٧؛ تسبقها إشعارات جغرافية وتاريخية للمناطق الواقعة بين نهري النيل والسند. في أربعة مجلّدات. مع أربع عشرة خريطة ورسمًا، ومزينة بثلاث عشرة لوحة، بالإضافة للعديد من الرسومات بالحفر على الخشب. المجلّد الأول." [‎٦‎٢‎٠] (٩٠٥/٧١٥)

620
ta'ez.
[chap. xxiii.
the ridge of a mountain, with two wheat granaries and a
large karvanserai" called Mendsjea, cut in the rock. Sei-jan
divides the distance between Surredge and Sana, and from
hence the less frequented pilgrims' rout continues along the
eastern side of the chain to Sa'det, a town with kanats and
baths, 1 and proceeds by Sodonan, Tabala, Taraba, and Taif,
to Mekkah.
District of The western route from Aden proceeds by Aias, and thence,
in a north-western direction, by Muawiyah to Ta'ez. This is
a small district, with a considerable town of the same name,
which, according to tradition, was founded by the Ayyubites. 2
It is situated in Wadi-el-Jend, a cultivated tract, surrounded
by high hills, and has a fine mosque, built by Melik Afdhal,
with a medresseh called Mojahidiyeh, established by Ibn
Mansur, and two others by 'Omar Ben Mansur; one of these,
called Eshrefie, has a library which is said to contain 100,000
volumes. The town is walled, and the strong castle of 'Orus
occupies a high hill a little way to the N.W. 3 The distance
from Ta'ez to Mokha rather exceeds two days, whilst that to
Zebia exceeds three, the road running through a cultivated
country, 4 and passing, about midway, Mushij, or Maushij, a
fine village with a large mosque, and celebrated for many
thickets of yasmin (jessamine), within each of which is a well
District of 0 f p Ure water. 5 The district is called Ossab, of which the
Ossab. r . . . ,
fortress of He'is, situated m a deep ravine, eighteen miles to
the N.N.E. is the capital, and the residence of the sheikh. 6
From the latter place the caravan route proceeds through
Zebid and Be'it-el-Fakih, preserving a north-western direc
tion through Tehameh and along the coast of Mekkah, whilst
the route to San'a proceeds north-eastward over a difficult
country. Sennef, the first mountain village, consists of a col
lection of conical straw huts, in a cultivated country, and in
1 Arabic MS., 7502, in the British Museum.
8 Arabic Geo. MS., translated by Dr. Aloys Sprenger.
3 Arabic MS. of M. de Gayagos, No. 39, British Museum; translated by
Dr. A. Sprenger. Ibid.
s Mr. Cruttenden's Journey, vol. VIIL, p. 269, of the Royal Geographical
Journal. 6 Ibid.